Campyrobacter pyloriの人胃粘膜内PAS-Alcian Blue陽性ムチン層に対する影響

Recently, it has been reported that Campylobacter pylori (CP) infetion is occasionally associated with gastroduodenal diseases. The mechanism by which CP may cause gastroduodenal mucosal damage, however, is still obscure. The mucin of the gastric mucosa has been recognized as the first defensive factor which can prevent the gastroduodenal mucosal damage. In this study, the content of intracellular PAS-alcian blue (PAS-AB) positive substance was analyzed using the computer-assisted image analyzing system. Two biopsy specimens from the antrum and body, respectivelly, were obtained from 36 patients who had endoscopically normal gastric mucosa. One of the specimens was examined microscopically and microbiologically to detect whether there were any colonies of CP in the specimens. The other of specimens was stained with PAS-AB, and the index of the content of PAS-AB positive substance, which depicts the ratio of PAS-AB positive area to the area of mucosal surface epithelial cell, was calculated. In CP positive subjects, the index of PAS-AB positive substance of the antral mucosa was significantly smaller than that of the body mucosa, while in CP negative subjects, there was no significant difference in the index of PAS-AB positive sustance between the antral and body mucosa. The result suggests that in the presence of CP, the mucin content in the antral mucosa decreases significantly and that the mucosal deffensive mechanism might be weakened in antral mucosal damage induced by CP.